|
|
Delta Travel Diary
Three monuments in Greenwood mark the burial of famed Bluesman Robert Johnson, who allegedly sold his soul to the devil for the ability to play the guitar like no other.
|
With Robert Johnson in the CD player and the speed of my car matching the tempo of his music, it was no time until I pulled into Greenwood.
Robert Johnson Blues and Heritage
Perhaps no Bluesman has remained more influential and more mysterious than Robert Johnson.
Greenwood - where two rivers flow in opposite directions and square ponds dot the landscape -- was the
place to find out more about the man and maybe unravel his secrets.
A good place to begin is at the Greenwood Blues Heritage Museum and Gallery
in historic downtown, which houses an important collection of Blues memorabilia.
The museum's focus is on Johnson, who allegedly sold his soul to the devil for the ability to play the guitar like no
other.
He was just 27 years old when a jealous husband supposedly poisoned him at a juke joint just outside of Greenwood. No one knows for sure where Johnson
was laid to rest, so three monuments mark his possible burial sites. I visited them all. Blues enthusiasts will enjoy another small museum located in Greenwood that is dedicated to the history of the blues named "Back in the Day."
The Viking Cooking School & Alluvian Hotel
Greenwood, like Johnson, is unique. From downtown's Cotton Row (the second largest cotton exchange in the U.S.) to
the famous Viking Cooking School,
The Cottonlandia Museum chronicles the history of cotton farming in the Mississippi Delta along with a collection of Native American artifacts.
|
I got a taste of what makes this city so special.
And nothing here is more distinctive than the Alluvian Hotel, a combination of Southern hospitality and high-class comfort. At
the Alluvian Spa, I chose from a "pamper yourself" menu of cosmopolitan proportions. Take it from this Delta traveler, you won't want to leave.
History of the Mississippi Delta
Cottonlandia Museum was another definite stop. Its name alone was reason to
visit. Inside was a collection that helped weave a fascinating story of the area's past. The museum chronicles the history of the Mississippi Delta. Other treasures at the museum range from the stained glass, watercolors, sculptures and paintings of the rotating regional artists exhibits to relics recovered from the Civil War steamship "Star of the West." The museum houses a huge collection of Native American artifacts, including the Southeast's largest collection of historic trade beads as well as tools, spear points and pottery.
Water recreation opportunities abound in Greenwood, home of the Yalobusha and Tallahatchie Rivers.
|
Festivals and Events
All during the year, Greenwood celebrates. Spring brings a celebration of our historic downtown and the delectable food heritage of Greenwood in the form of the River to Rails Festival. Fall means the Cotton Capital Blues Festival celebrating the roots of the Delta Blues. And winter ushers in the Southeast's oldest Christmas parade with a massive fireworks display, floats and bands.
They said this place had a certain mystique. They were right. Next stop: Vicksburg, Mississippi.
 |
Mississippi Delta Tourism Association
P.O. Box 68 - Greenville, Mississippi 38701
Toll Free: 877-DELTA MS
|
|
|
